Main Entry: quick·sil·ver
Pronunciation: -sil-vr
Function: noun
Etymology: Old English cwicseolfor, from cwic "alive" and seolfor "silver": MERCURY 1aWord History The metal mercury resembles silver in color. Unlike silver and most other metals, though, mercury is liquid at ordinary temperatures. For that reason it is able to flow and to move almost as if it were alive. The Old English word for mercury was cwicseolfor, a combination of cwic, meaning "alive" or "moving," and seolfor, meaning "silver." The Modern English quicksilver comes from the Old English cwicseolfor.